The Indians signed Avila for only $17,500 out of the Mexican League, where he was already a star. The first Mexican to have real ML success, he was the Indian second baseman for eight years and became a national hero in his own country. In a 1951 game at Boston, he hit three homers, a single, and a double. In 1952 he led the AL in triples (11). He won the AL batting title in the Indians' 1954 pennant-winning year when he hit .341 despite playing half the season with a broken thumb. An adept bunter and daring baserunner, his soccer training paid off several times when he intentionally kicked the ball out of defenders' mitts while sliding. Cleveland manager Al Lopez said Avila had "a fine swing, a sharp eye, a good spirit of competition ... and a world of confidence in himself." Dealt three times between December 1958 and July 1959, the dapper, well-educated Avila returned to Mexico in 1960, becoming a politician and, later, president of the Mexican League. (JCA)
Contribute your recollections of Bobby Avila by clicking here.
FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»October 8, 1909: The Pirates, winners of 110 games, face Detroit in the World Series, which pits the two leagues' top offensive stars, Honus Wagner and Ty Cobb. It is the first of three times that batting champs will face each other in the World Series (Al Simmons and Chick Hafey in 1931: Bobby Avila and Willie Mays in 1954 are the others) Pittsburgh manager Fred Clarke starts 27-year-old rookie righthander Babe Adams against Tigers P George Mullin. There are only 11 hits in the game, but one is a home run by Clarke, and the Pirates win 4-1 before a crowd of 29,264.
»June 20, 1951: Cleveland IF Bobby Avila hits three HRs going 5-for-6 against the Red Sox. His 15 total bases will stand as a team record until surpassed by Rocky Colavito in l959. Before today, Avila had hit just one homer against the Bosox. Cleveland outslugs Boston to win 14–8, as Early Wynn earns the complete game win.
»December 2, 1958:
The Indians send 2B Bobby Avila to the Orioles for P Russ Heman and cash.
»July 22, 1959: Veteran Bobby Avila, in his first game with Milwaukee, hits a 2-run 9th inning home run, of the Reds' Jim O'Toole, to help give the Braves a 5–4 win.
BALLPLAYERS | TEAMS | CHRONOLOGY | TODAY | BOOKS | NEWSLETTER | ERRATA | FAQ
